Do you know about the bloodthirsty Chupacabra? The chupacabra is a flesh-eating coyote-like creature from Latin American folklore. In the original folklore, the chupacabra is known to have a habit of attacking livestock instead of human prey. I will be comparing the original folklore to my new depiction of the chupacabra, written for Summer of the Mariposa by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. I will be showing how I modernized the monster and how I kept similarities to the original folklore. I kept the monster recognizable while also making it even more terrifying to the reader. I can also show how the theme that things aren't always as they seem is in my story.

In my story, I kept similarities with the original folklore by having it look like a coyote with more reptilian scaly skin. These two pieces of evidence I found on Wikipedia sites, “reptilian and alien” and “with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail,” show they were described as almost being a reptile, but with slight differences in their appearance. These similarities are shown in my story when I said, “Chupacabra burst out behind him, its red glowing eyes and sharp spikey back piercing through the air.” This shows the similarities in appearance to the original monster.

These two depictions also have differences in appearance and actions. In the original folklore, the chupacabra is a smaller creature with only paws, teeth, and a spiny back, according to Wikipedia. “The chupacabra is typically described as 3–5 feet tall—early reports depict a 3-foot-tall reptilian creature, while later ones describe a 4–5-foot canine-like animal.” Yet in my story, it's a giant 6-meter creature with wings and claws. “As he did, a 6-meter giant chupacabra burst out from behind him.”  Their actions are different because, while the original chupacabra hunts for livestock, “chupacabra is said to attack and drink the blood of livestock, including goats.”While in my story, it feasts on human blood. “As he landed, he bit off his upper half off his body. He chased after the girls with murderous intent.”  This shows the violence difference between the two.

In conclusion, both stories have many similarities and differences. Some similarities we through both depictions of the chupacabra are the appearance of the chupacabra, with both appearing reptile-like with long spiky spines down their bodies. There is also a difference between them. The original story feasts on livestock and other domesticated animals, while mine feasts on human blood. This shows the theme that things aren't as they seem by showing how they look similar but act differently. My reflections on this are that you can misjudge things at first glance, and this applies in real life because people might judge things at first sight.

“Chupacabra.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra

I had stabbed his other eye, blinding the beast as she went to finish them off. He transformed into his human state. It was Chencho who begged for his life. The girls thought about it for a moment, then Odilia remembered when Lalorona warned them to be kind, so they spared him. They felt a rumbling under their feet like an earthquake.

The rumbling continued and got stronger. It suddenly stopped. Checho stood up and thanked them for sparing his life as he did a 6-meter giant chupacabra burst out from behind him, its red glowing eyes and sharp spikey back piercing through the air. As he landed, he bit off his upper half off his body. He chased after the girls with murderous intent. The girls ran for their lives and ended up splitting up.

The girls hid, and the monster flew up its wings, kicking up dust. As he searched for us from above, I snuck around and found a knife on the ground. I looked around for any of my sisters, but none were in sight. The chupacabra passed by me, and I took the chance to grab onto its tail. It didn't notice me holding it, so I started to climb on it. I got to its back and it spotted pita. Pita had sprained her ankle and was slower than my other sisters.

The chupacabra started to go for pita when its eye got stabbed. “Hide Pita”, I said, “be quiet, I'll get the other eye and he’ll be blind.” Pita ran into the forest, and I went to the chupacabra's other eye and stabbed it. I dropped down and ran to regroup my sisters. The chupacabara stayed on the hunt, listening. “Juanita,” I called, whispering to make sure the beast couldn't hear me. I had a glimpse of hope when I suddenly heard, “Odilia, I have the girls, it's me.”  I thought to myself, thank god, when the chupacabra swooped in and charged where I was, I ducked down and raised the knife as the chupacabra ran right over it, slicing down its stomach. The 

The chupacabra fell to the ground. “You guys are safe. Come out now,” I said, waving Juanita over. The twins and Pita were crying with happiness that I was alive. “We can rest until Pita’s ankle heals, but first, let's get away from here.” I looked at Pita’s ankle, and it was a little swollen but not too much.

 “We should be good to go by the morning and continue to Grandma's.” I put Pita somewhere she could rest her ankle. “How much longer to go?” Velia said, “Yeah, I miss mom.” Delia agreed, “I'm not sure to be honest, but I know it can’t be too much farther as long as we stick together, we can make it,” I said, reassuring the twins. I laid the twins down and Juanita with pita. I stayed up, not able to sleep after the events this evening. Though eventually I fell asleep, I knew the road ahead was still gonna be rough.